Published: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 12:08 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 12:08 p.m.

BARTOW | The former head football coach at George Jenkins High School was sentenced to seven years in prison Monday for having sex with a 17-year-old female student.

Matthew Thompson, 31, was taken into custody moments after Circuit Judge Ernest Jones imposed the sentence. Thompson, who came to court with his father, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Lakeland lawyer Tony Dodds, representing Thompson, said the state sentencing guidelines called for a minimum 11 years in prison, which is why the former coach agreed to the plea deal.

"This was the best possible resolution under the circumstances," Dodds said after the brief hearing.

Thompson had pleaded guilty Oct. 30, but Jones allowed him to remain free on bond until after Thanksgiving. He has resigned from his teaching position, for which he was paid about $37,000 annually.

The plea agreement calls for him to surrender his Florida teaching certificate and to serve 20 years of sexual offender probation.

Thompson was arrested a year ago on charges he had two sexual encounters with a student at his Lakeland home. The girl had told her friend about the encounters and the friend told her parents, who then alerted the girl's parents.

An investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office revealed that Thompson and the girl had flirted with each other and had been texting one another for a year. The girl told detectives she had met Thompson at school, where he had taught one of her classes in early 2011.

Detectives discovered the two eventually had sex twice at his home last year on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1.

Assistant State Attorney Mark Levine said the girl's family agreed to the plea deal because it would spare her from testifying at a trial.

<p>BARTOW | The former head football coach at George Jenkins High School was sentenced to seven years in prison Monday for having sex with a 17-year-old female student.</p><p>Matthew Thompson, 31, was taken into custody moments after Circuit Judge Ernest Jones imposed the sentence. Thompson, who came to court with his father, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and could have faced up to 30 years in prison.</p><p>Lakeland lawyer Tony Dodds, representing Thompson, said the state sentencing guidelines called for a minimum 11 years in prison, which is why the former coach agreed to the plea deal.</p><p>"This was the best possible resolution under the circumstances," Dodds said after the brief hearing.</p><p>Thompson had pleaded guilty Oct. 30, but Jones allowed him to remain free on bond until after Thanksgiving. He has resigned from his teaching position, for which he was paid about $37,000 annually. </p><p>The plea agreement calls for him to surrender his Florida teaching certificate and to serve 20 years of sexual offender probation.</p><p>Thompson was arrested a year ago on charges he had two sexual encounters with a student at his Lakeland home. The girl had told her friend about the encounters and the friend told her parents, who then alerted the girl's parents.</p><p>An investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office revealed that Thompson and the girl had flirted with each other and had been texting one another for a year. The girl told detectives she had met Thompson at school, where he had taught one of her classes in early 2011.</p><p>Detectives discovered the two eventually had sex twice at his home last year on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1. </p><p>Assistant State Attorney Mark Levine said the girl's family agreed to the plea deal because it would spare her from testifying at a trial.</p>